"From Philadelphia, a Response Has Already Arrived" – A Letter from Maran the Chasam Sofer – Correspondence with American Jewry – The Controversy over the building of "Churvas Reb Yehuda HaChosid" – A Discovery!
A letter in the holy handwriting and signature of Maran the Chasam Sofer, Zy”a, addressed to the Gaon Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Lehren, head of the "Pekidim and Amarkalim" organization (the great tzedakah society for the poor of Eretz Yisrael) in Amsterdam. The letter is dated Thursday, Parshas Bo, 6 Shevat 5598 (1838). This letter is an addition to the Chasam Sofer’s responsum printed in Shu"T Chasam Sofer, Orach Chaim, Siman 203, which was also written on the same day and sent as an attachment to the letter before us.
The letter is written on one page, 12 lines on one side, with the address written in a foreign language on the reverse. In the holy handwriting of Maran the Chasam Sofer, the acronym Amt”d (the initials for the city of Amsterdam, where Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Lehren resided) is written.
The letter is sealed with a beautiful red wax seal, adding to its majestic appearance.
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At the beginning of the letter, he humbly apologizes for the delay in responding, due to his overwhelming responsibilities: "..
If he knew the burden that rests upon my frail shoulders, he would be appeased, and if not for Hashem’s help, it would be beyond human strength to bear and endure.."
He also assures him that he will send the funds collected from the communities once the ships resume their routes: "..and furthermore, I did not want to come empty-handed, as
the esteemed Rabbi Moshe Lehmann told me that no ships would sail until Purim, so I have held all the collected funds until Purim or Nissan.." It is noteworthy that the bachur Moshe Lehmann mentioned here
is the Gaon Rabbi Moshe Tuvia Lehmann, who six months later became the Chasam Sofer’s son-in-law (under the Chasam Sofer’s guidance, the name Tuvia was added to his name, see Igros Sofrim, Igros HaRav Siman 24).
Later in the letter, he writes: "..I am greatly pained about the sefer Torah, which is in distress due to your honorable self… because you have been wronged by those who repay evil for good [Rata”t]. For this, I have set aside all my daily matters, and I have reviewed and written a response attached here. May they listen and heed, for these Poles are a stubborn people and will not yield to anyone. With this, your dear soul will find comfort, and you will be blessed according to your pure soul…" This refers to the controversy surrounding the rebuilding of the Churva Shul in the Old City of Yerushalayim.
At the end of the letter, Maran mentions a hidden correspondence between the Chasam Sofer and people in America: "..From Philadelphia, a response has already arrived, and a great mitzvah was done by the honor of P”M, as merit is brought through the meritorious, and may there be many like him in Klal Yisrael.."
This is an interesting discovery about the Chasam Sofer’s connections with American Jewry, previously unknown to historians of Maran the Chasam Sofer and the early days of Jewish settlement in America. Further research is needed to understand what great mitzvah Maran the Chasam Sofer and Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch were involved in with the Yidden in America during the early years of Jewish settlement in the United States!
The Churva Shul Controversy – On the 8th of Iyar 5597 (1837), several prominent figures in Yerushalayim, led by the shadar Rabbi Avraham Shlomo Zalman Tzoref (Ras”z), decided to rebuild the Churva of Rabbi Yehudah HaChassid. To this end, they resolved to send shadarim to European cities to raise funds for this purpose, appointing Rabbi Aharon Zelig Ashkenazi (Ras”z’s son-in-law) and Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch (Ras”z’s son-in-law) as the heads. The rebuilding of the Churva was not well received by all the chachamim of Yerushalayim, and the Gaon Rabbi Yeshaya Bardaki even opposed it.
Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Lehren, in his role as overseer of the tzedakah of Eretz Yisrael, was concerned that people would neglect donating to the starving poor of Yerushalayim and instead contribute only to the Churva’s construction. As a result, he delayed the aforementioned shadarim. (Additionally, he was heavily influenced by Rabbi Yeshaya, who wanted to shelve the entire project.) (See Shalosh Doros B’Yishuv, p. 57). It should be noted that the final cost of the Churva’s construction was around 200,000 francs (a substantial sum in those days), which validated Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch’s concerns. (See Mikrei Yerushalayim, p. 156).
Additionally, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch wrote to Rabbi Aryeh ben Yerachmiel of Vilna (the "Ne’eman HaKolel" on behalf of the "Amarkalim" in Vilna), instructing him not to give any funds to the shadarim arriving to collect for the Churva. Rabbi Aryeh of Vilna wrote to Ras”z, informing him that he could not provide funds to the shadarim due to Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch’s directive. Ras”z responded by threatening to excommunicate Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch, accusing him of "preventing the public from performing a mitzvah." The Maggidei Emes conveyed these words to Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch. (See Otzros HaSofer, Kovetz 7, p. 6).
In his distress, Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch wrote to Maran the Chasam Sofer, asking him to intervene and decide whether it was correct to halt the fundraising efforts for the Churva. In the letter before us, Maran the Chasam Sofer attempts to pacify Rabbi Tzvi and includes a letter to those who were criticizing him, expressing hope that they would accept his ruling: "..May they listen and heed, for these Poles are a stubborn people and will not yield to anyone.."
The Chasam Sofer’s ruling, aligning with Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch’s position to delay the fundraising for the Churva, was published in Shu"T Chasam Sofer, Orach Chaim, Siman 203, where he concludes: "..Heaven forbid, Heaven forbid, to raise a hand against him or to mention excommunication, chas v’shalom. And I hope that they will listen and cease their opposition.." The letter before us is a historical supplement to this controversy, clearly reflecting the deep respect Maran the Chasam Sofer had for Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch.
Discovery! America in the Life of Maran the Chasam Sofer – At the end of the letter before us, Maran the Chasam Sofer writes: "..From Philadelphia, a response has already arrived, and a great mitzvah was done by the honor of P”M [praise be to his honor], as merit is brought through the meritorious, and may there be many like him in Klal Yisrael.." This is an important discovery of the correspondence that Maran the Chasam Sofer had with the Jewish community in Philadelphia. (The Jewish community there was established in 1740 and became famous due to the wealthy and prominent Rabbi Chaim Solomon, one of the founders of the United States).
We do not know from whom the letter was received or what assistance was requested. However, it is plausible that it involved the Gaon Rabbi Yitzchak Leeser, author of Derech Mora, Av Beis Din of the only Jewish community in the city, "Mikveh Israel" (since 1830). Rabbi Leeser was a staunch opponent of the Reform movement even while living in Europe, and it seems he had a connection with Maran the Chasam Sofer and sought his assistance.
The subject of the letter likely relates to the Terumas HaKodesh society (founded in 1833), which aimed to assist the residents of Eretz Yisrael and was under the responsibility of Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch Lehren. Rabbi Yitzchak Leeser was probably involved in the society’s activities, and at the time, he also published different ways to improve the livelihood of the residents of Eretz Yisrael in the "Occident." (See MiYerushalayim ad Yerushalayim, p. 122). It can further be assumed that Terumas HaKodesh assisted the Chasam Sofer in some way, for which he expresses his gratitude to Rabbi Tzvi Hirsch for his help: "Merit is brought through the meritorious" – an unknown chapter in the life of Maran the Chasam Sofer!
All in his holy handwriting and signature, a rare and historical letter!
